Italian for Beginners, Kristin Harmel

After reading Anna & the French Kiss I've moved my romantic chick lit tour of Europe to Italy. Not intentionally, but it fit my January blah attitude to read another cheering book.

This one was cute but not as overwhelmingly lovable as Anna. I thought all of the Roman Holiday references were really fun. Having recently watched Only You, which is also full of Roman Holiday references, it has me planning to rewatch this soon.

I liked the main character, Cat, a lot but I had a few quibbles with the story. Spoilers ahead (though I don't think you'll be reading this one, Nora)

I was seriously shocked when Cat slept with Marco because up until that point I was convinced he was gay! I just didn't see them as having romantic chemistry at all. I also would have appreciated more happy times with Michael (at least I think that is his name- how awful is it that I can't remember Cat's prince charming's name!). All they had was the meet cute followed by the misunderstanding that could have been cleared up in 5 minutes of talking and then a long strech of Cat in Rome finding herself and then Michael returns at the end for the happily ever after. I liked him and their relationship but there wasn't that much there.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book though. Light and happy and another great January book.

Perfect Timing, Jill Mansell

It's the night before her wedding when Poppy Dunbar meets Tom. He is tall, dark, and handsome with a quirky smile, and Poppy can't shake the feeling she's known him all her life. She can't go through with the meeting they arrange... but she can't go through with the wedding anymore either.

Suddenly notorious as "The Girl who Jilted Rob McBride" Poppy leaves for London and a fresh start. Soon she's installed in the bohemian household of Caspar French, a ravishingly good-looking young artist with a reputation for breaking hearts. But even in her new home and new life, Poppy can't get Tom off her mind. Until she's tracked him down, she'll never know if their meeting was destiny, or if it was just a matter of timing...

I adored Millie's Fling and based on that adoration I bought all the Jill Mansell books I could find at Barnes and Noble. But I have been hesitant to read any of them just in case it wasn't as good as Millie's Fling. I loved Millie so much I had a hard time really thinking I would like another main character as much. But I was wrong. Happily wrong.

I feel like Jill Mansell is the chick lit version of Maeve Binchy. I love the interconnected story lines that all come together in the end that they both employ. And I love, love, love Maeve Binchy so that is saying something about how I feel about Jill Mansell.

Poppy is such a likeable character. The many side characters are well developed and some of them are just so tender. Poor Jake and Claudia with their massive insecurities had me cringing for them. And the fact that everything happens in London adds to the appeal for me. I am doing a really rotten job describing this book. But I loved it and can't wait to read the rest of Jill Mansell's books now. My confidence in her has gone up.

How could I not love a book with this in it:

"That was what happened when you listened to a girl whose favorite film was The Sound of Music." (p.102)

Millie's Fling, Jill Mansell

When Millie Brady saves Orla Hart's life she doesn't realise how drastically it will change her own – not least because the boyfriend who was asking her to move in with him at the time stormed off in a huff. Actually, Millie's relieved. She's happy to enjoy a man-free summer in Cornwall. But Orla has other ideas. She's determined that Millie should meet the man of her dreams. Trouble is, Millie's taste in men doesn't tally with Orla's. The one who really interests her is Hugh Emerson, and he's the man with whom Orla's adamant she mustn't get involved...

I am so happy when things like this happen: I bought this book in a moment of weakness based on the glittery cover art. I knew nothing about it. Sometimes that leads to serious disappointment but in this case I ended up loving the book. Hooray for glitter not leading me astray!

This story was fun to read but not idiotic. It was light but not ridiculous. It is the best kind of chick lit. I literally LOL'd several times. I loved Hugh & Millie as well as the supporting characters. Hester's experience at the spa is exactly why I don't want to go to spas! It totally reminded me of this (except what happened to Hester might be slightly more mortifying!). Scroll to 1:56



And I learned about another UK candy courtesy of this description:

"Perched on one arm of the wooden garden seat, wearing a pink dress and hugging her knees, was a girl in her late teens with glossy waist-length hair the color of caramel, plenty of orange lipstick painted on her mouth, and a look of adoration in her eyes. It was the kind of look you saw a lot on the faces of the audience at a Tom Jones concert. Sort of dazed and gooey, like a half-chewed Jelly Baby" (p.150)

And this made me laugh:

"I love all this," Orla declared, "its so real and down-to-earth! No glitz, no glamour, no celebrities, just ordinary people living mundane lives, wearing chainstore clothes, and cheap shoes..." (p.156)

I am really looking forward to reading another of Jill Mansell's books!

The Wedding Girl, Madeleine Wickham

"At the age of eighteen, in that first golden Oxford summer, Milly was up for anything. Now, ten years later, she is a very different person. Engaged to a man who is wealthy, serious, and believes her to be perfect, she is facing the biggest and most elaborate wedding imaginable. But one small episode form the past has the power to completely derail her carefully planned nuptials. Milly has locked away this history so securely that she has almost persuaded herself that it doesn't exist- until, with only four days to go, her secret catches up with her.... And when "I do" gives you deja vu, it could be a problem."

I bought this based on the pretty cover and having previously enjoyed the Shopoholic books back when I was a student teacher a million years ago. I don't really get the whole Sophie Kinsella-Madeleine Wickham alter ego thing. To me, her writing is still pretty much the same whichever name is on the cover. This was enjoyable, average, chick lit.

I had two issues with the book. Issue #1 is that I felt the born again Christian characters in the book were completely one-dimensional and fake. They were what "enlightened" secular people imagine religious people to be: hateful & spiteful. That really irritated me but fortunately that wasn't a huge theme of the book.

Issue #2 is that based on the sparkley cover art (in real life the mirror does sparkle) I was expecting a happy, silly story with a mild amount of conflict. But I felt like I was reading the gay version of Beaches which I was not prepared for. Only sadder because the Bette Midler boy wasn't there to hold the Barbara Hershey boy's hand and sing to him at the end. I don't read chick lit to cry and feel totally down on life. So the Rupert-Allan story line? Not my idea of an acceptable plot line. I couldn't handle the letter, Rupert sitting in the art museum crying, & especially the last paragraphs of the book. Way too sad!

Other than those two issues I liked reading this book. I always like reading S.K./M.W.'s books for the UK setting. Now I want to investigate what a "bleeper" is. Remote control? Pager? I'm not sure.

I also loved the conversation Simon and Milly have at the very end of the book when Milly confesses her "low-brow" tastes. That made me laugh. The storylines with Harry & Isobel and James & Olivia were also really sweet. It reminded me at times of Maeve Binchy with all the intertwined relationships being revealed at the end of the story. Which reminded me that I love Maeve Binchy and should reread some of her books this year.

Remember Me, Sophie Kinsella

I read the Shopaholic books back in college (and that makes me feel weird that I have been out of college long enough that I can use that phrase meaningfully) and I really enjoyed them.

I like how Trashionista sums this one up:

"The incomparable Sophie Kinsella's latest stand-alone novel is an utterly believable suspended-belief story with endearingly drawn characters which I defy anyone not to want to devour in one sitting. From the first page you'll feel a part of Lexi's life and be urging her to find the answers she so passionately needs to start piecing together her missing years."

This book was funny and believable. I really did read it in one sitting. And I am officially too tired to think any thoughts worth typing.

Summer Blowout, Claire Cook

This was an impulse buy from a few weeks ago. It's a very cute, very summery story about a tangled family of hairstylists & makeup artists. I loved how the main character gave us the full run down and complete brand name for each product she used. It wasn't annoying- it honestly made me want to go to Sephora. I give Claire Cook points for name dropping Nars & Tarte- two of my favorite makeup lines as well as the old standby Maybelline Great Lash mascara. So for someone who loves (and subconciously seems to absorb/memorize information from) fashion & beauty magazines this was the perfect relax in the bathtub book.

I also really liked that even though it was clear that the heroine wasn't super young the author never described her as full figured or as having laugh lines thereby making me feel grossed out by the romance/lust going on. I just don't want to read about sassy 40 something divorcees out looking to get their grooves back.

Improper English, Katie MacAlister

This was a cute and implausible romantic story. I liked that it was set in London and there were a few funny moments. Mostly I was just waiting for the main characters to get together which they did in a predictable smut fest. The characters in this are not very believable but I can be forgiving when a book takes me just over an hour to read and successfully distracts me from my back and its mysterious injury.

Big Boned, Meg Cabot

I think this might be my favorite in the Heather Wells books because.... Heather finally gets her man! I was so ready to be disappointed in this if the unrequited love was continued. So I am relieved and excited because I read that Meg Cabot is planning writing more stories in this series. Hopefully it will be soon!

Size 14 Is Not Fat Either, Meg Cabot

My envy of Meg Cabot continues to build along with my enjoyment of these Heather Wells books. They are definitely the strongest Meg Cabot titles I have read and they are so entertaining.
This one made me laugh out loud.

"Where does that jaded cynicism even come from? It can't be because I'm a washed up former pop star trying to put my life together, only to be told I have to take remedial math." (p.68)

"I'm too old for a singing-songwriting career," I tell him. I mean, have you seen those girls on MTV? I can't wear short skirts anymore. Too much cellulite."
"Don't be silly," Dad says dismissively. "You look fine. Besides, if you're self-conscious, you can just wear slacks." (p.89)

I love that Dad advice! Right to the heart of the problem. You've got cellulite? No problem, pull out the slacks and you'll be ready for your music video instantly!

"I have them throw in a GET WELL SOON bear for good measure, after first making sure the GET WELL SOON banner comes off, so Manuel can regift the bear to a girlfriend or niece. You have to think about these things when you're giving stuffed toys to a man." (p.191)

"But not everyone seems to find their incredibly slim waists (how do all their internal organs even fit in there? I mean like their liver, and everything? Isn't it all squashed? Don't you need at least a 29 inch waist in order for everything in there to have enough room to do its job?) freakish." (p.235)

Size 12 Is Not Fat, Meg Cabot

The Meg Cabot fluff fest continues as my school year crawls to a close. I have to say this is my favorite Meg Cabot title (so far). It's another grownup title but fortunately had no smut, hooray! I also loved the premise of the book. The thought of a teen pop tart being forced into a real career and a real body was very funny. After reading this one and She Went All The Way it's really easy to imagine Meg Cabot as an US Weekly subscription holder (she has just got to be into celebrity news; which I say with absolutely no malice. Clearly, I am into celebrity news too. The Target clerk who felt the need to point out to me that the 5 high quality magazines I was buying on Saturday all had the same picture on their covers clearly is not a fellow traveler in the world of celebutainment. As if the same pictures might be a reason to not buy all 5. )

Heather is a very likable, relatable character and I enjoyed the mystery element to this story as well. My only complaint is that I want Heather to land herself a man. I don't like when stories about chubby girls feel the need to show how empowering it is to be fat and single. Because that is just a lie. I get that some people feel discouraged if the only fat girl narrative is that happiness (& a hot man) only arrive with weight loss but in reality what single, fat girl wants to read about how great it is to be single and fat. We (I'll be the chubby, single girl spokesperson) want to read about the many interesting ways a single girl like ourselves might meet Mr. Right and/or get thin. It's called escapism and wish fulfillment!

Here's hoping Heather gets her man soon (she can stay fat but I will revolt if she is just so self actualized that she doesn't need to be with a man and/or get thinner at some point in this series)

She Went All The Way, Meg Cabot

I was drawn into this book by the shiny sequiny sandal on the front cover and my current thralldom to Meg Cabot. I really do want to know how she produces so many books… mostly because I am jealous. As an avid reader of fluff it is comforting to me that there are so many more Meg Cabot titles out there for me to read in the bathtub.

I really liked the story line in this one but since it is a Meg Cabot for grownups title it had some smuttiness that I could have done without. Overall a cute, suspenseful, beachy, romantic book (I’m throwing as many vague adjectives as possible in there).

Accidentally Dead, Dakota Cassidy

All by my lonesome for much too long over the weekend I read this on Sunday afternoon. I liked the continuation of the characters from the The Accidental Werewolf but I felt like there was more skankiness in this one. There was skankiness in the first book but it was easier to just "la, la, la, turn the page" without really reading the icky details. Icky details stood out more in this one but I still enjoyed the characters and the clever storyline. I just wish that these stories could have been written without the ick. But I realize the ick is what some people are reading them for, I'm just not that reader. Also I love the covers and think they are very cute. Clearly an important factor in loneliness inspired weekend chick lit reading.